Expression and reconstitution of a biologically active mouse interferon gamma receptor in hamster cells. Chromosomal location of an accessory factor.

In order to localize the chromosome encoding the accessory factor required for function of the murine interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) receptor, we transfected a cDNA expression vector encoding the receptor into several Chinese hamster x mouse somatic cell hybrids. As mouse Chromosome 10 carries the gene which encodes the interferon gamma-receptor (Ifgr), we used somatic cell hybrids that lack this chromosome. The presence of mouse Chromosome 16 was required to generate a response to murine IFN-gamma as assayed by stimulation of class I major histocompatibility complex antigen expression. These results demonstrate a species-specific accessory factor encoded on mouse Chromosome 16 (termed Ifgt) is necessary for mouse IFN-gamma to stimulate major histocompatibility complex expression through its receptor.